יחזקאל, פרק ל׳, פסוק כ״ה

The clash between the great empires of Babylon and Egypt unfolds not as a contest of human military might, but as a struggle entirely orchestrated by Divine providence. Military strength is shown to be a direct result of God either granting His support or withdrawing it. He empowers one side while completely crushing the other in order to reveal His justice to the world.

A sharp contrast is drawn between the king of Babylon and Pharaoh. God actively holds and supports the hand of the Babylonian king, ensuring it does not fall while infusing it with added strength [רש"י, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Conversely, Pharaoh's arms drop helplessly simply because God is no longer supporting them [רש"י]. This collapse of Pharaoh's strength is not a minor setback, but an absolute shattering and a total loss of power [רד"ק, מצודת דוד]. Unlike a typical fracture that can be bandaged and allowed to heal, his arms are described as falling away from the body entirely, leaving no hope for recovery or restoration [מלבי"ם].

Following this absolute defeat, the world will come to recognize that God faithfully administers both reward and punishment [מצודת דוד]. This realization occurs when God hands His own sword over to the king of Babylon to strike down the Egyptians [מצודת דוד]. The motion of extending this sword is compared to the raising of Moses' staff [רד"ק]. As the weapon is stretched out over the entire land of Egypt, it marks the final, decisive blow that brings about the total destruction of the Egyptian empire [מלבי"ם].